Month: December 2016

Brian is a long time Dryer Master user, having used Dryer Master systems for over 25 years now. He dries over a million bushels a year of Non-GMO waxy corn and has a wealth of experience to share.

Brian recently updated his two DM500 systems to two new DM510 systems to go on his two Zimmerman grain dryers, one a AP4500 and the other a Zimmerman VT3026.

Why did you buy Dryer Masters in the first place?

We were looking for a way to take the guesswork out of drying. Because we are a long term storage facility with minimal outbound blending capabilities, we needed consistent moisture and quality going into storage. The Dryer Master has been able to take the peaks and valleys out of our moisture content.

How does the Dryer Master change the way that you dry, or alter your drying operations from an operational perspective?

We had to learn to let the Dryer Master do it’s job. I tell my operators that every adjustment they make when drying, is probably undermining what the Dryer Master has “planned”. We had to learn not to react to what was happening with outbound samples (unless it’s a long term trend)…for instance, if the outbound sample isn’t correct, that adjustment should’ve been made 2-3 hrs ago. We watch the hourly trend and trust that the DM knows what’s going in and what’s coming out and will adjust dryer speed accordingly to hit the average target moisture. Operators have to understand that the DM is always trying to average to the target…if corn is coming out a little dry for an hour, expect the dryer to speed up and you might see a little bit of wetter corn for an hour. My main advice to operators…”don’t over-react, let the DM do it’s job”.

What drying tips (if any) would you like to pass on to other dryer owners about how to get the most out of their dryer and/or their Dryer Master?

During harvest, we often can see a 5-10% spread in the moisture of inbound grain. While the Dryer Master can handle those ranges of moisture, we try to “help” it by making the inbound wet grain stream more consistent. We have 3 wet hopper tanks and will divide those into 3 moisture ranges. We then blend those grain streams to the dryer to get a more consistent moisture content on the inbound side of the dryer. This helps the Dryer Master by not making it “react” to those big swings. It also helps us narrow the range that it takes to get to our average outbound target moisture.

Have you found a financial difference in your drying performance using Dryer Master? In what way?

Yes. Anytime we overdry corn or underdry corn and have to recirculate, we are not getting efficient use of our utilities expense or our drying assets. The Dryer Master minimizes those situations and helps us stay within a very narrow +/- range of our target moisture.

How often do you typically calibrate your outlet moisture sensor? And what is your calibration procedure?

We sample every 30-45 minutes while the dryers are running. We keep a log sheet comparing DM sample to Moisture Meter (Dickey-John) sample. If we have 3 samples in a row that are off more than .5% in the same direction…then we calibrate.

Aaron has a smaller 1610 Grain Handler dryer that he uses to dry about 200,000 bushels of oats and corn. He has now had his DM510 for 2 seasons and uses the Dryer Master moisture sensor chute with a rotary feed which helps provide a consistent flow of product past the outlet moisture sensor.

Why did you buy a Dryer Master in the first place?

I had not heard anything about Dryer Master but my bin dealer and the Grain Handler folks recommended it.

How does the Dryer Master change the way that you dry, or help your drying operations from an
operational perspective?

It allows me to be a little freer to do other tasks.

How often do you typically calibrate your outlet moisture sensor?

All throughout the first day, then if it is staying close to the bench tester, just once a day.

How much difference does it make to have real time moisture information versus having to go out and take a sample?

A lot. I’m able to check the moisture of the dryer discharge no matter where I am.

Brian dries about 250,000 bushels of corn and soybeans with his Grain Handler 1610 dryer. He has now had a Dryer Master DM510 for 3 seasons. In the photo of the DM510 panel, on the right there is a small black device. This is part of the remote wireless I/O setup option. This option simplifies installations where the DM510 panel is located at a far distance from the dryer, or where a conduit run would be difficult.

Why did you buy a Dryer Master in the first place?

It was recommended by the Dealer and Rep from Grain Handler

Did anything surprise you about how your Dryer Master worked when you first used it?

I was surprised how it could compensate for different input moisture after it had run long enough to build the data it needed. Compensates better for large input changes than any other controller I have used.

How often do you typically calibrate your outlet moisture sensor? And what is your calibration procedure? (Note: The photo is of the outlet sensor installation. Brian diverts a portion of the outlet flow to a pipe where the sensor is mounted. The product flow past the sensor is kept constant by the auger that returns the product to the main stream. )

Check / Calibrate several times daily especially if we changed varieties of corn. Also check before overnight. I recalibrate if its more than a couple tenths off. I push the calibrate button mounted near sensor and take a sample over about 20 to 30 seconds. Gives me enough grain to run two tests on my moisture tester. If both tests are close to the same, I average and recalibrate. If the tests are not close, I start over.